Gando Primary School Library
Under Construction
2010 -
Gando, Burkina Faso
640 sqm
Community of Gando / Kéré Foundation e.V.
Hevert-Arzneimittel GmbH & Co. KG, Community of Gando
The Gando Primary School Library is conceived as a space in which to complement the standardised school curriculum with traditional teachings between elders and children. Its geometry is formally distinct from the buildings on either side, its soft elliptical shape setting it apart in character from the orthogonal classrooms.
In addition to providing an educational infrastructure for children, the library is also intended as a resource centre for the village as a whole. The building forms a physical connection between the Gando Primary School and its extension, sheltering the school yard from dusty eastern winds.
The building’s ceiling is made using locally crafted earthenware pots sawn in half, against which the concrete slab is cast. These circular openings allow natural light to filter down, creating a dynamic pattern on the ground. An overhanging corrugated metal roof sits above this ceiling, protecting it from sun and rain, with polycarbonate sheets positioned above the openings. Stack effect is created as the roof’s hot surface draws cooler air in from the windows and out through the perforations in the ceiling, naturally ventilating the inner space.
This project marked Kéré Architecture’s first use of eucalyptus wood, which has since become a characteristic feature of several later projects. Eucalyptus wood is remarkably resistant and takes on an attractive silvery sheen over time, making it an ideal material to create a transparent outer façade. Eucalyptus trees were widely planted in Burkina Faso to fight deforestation, but are today regarded negatively as they provide little shade and absorb moisture from the soil. An effective way of fighting desertification is to use eucalyptus for construction and replace the cut trees with native species.
The Gando Primary School Library is conceived as a space in which to complement the standardised school curriculum with traditional teachings between elders and children. Its geometry is formally distinct from the buildings on either side, its soft elliptical shape setting it apart in character from the orthogonal classrooms.
In addition to providing an educational infrastructure for children, the library is also intended as a resource centre for the village as a whole. The building forms a physical connection between the Gando Primary School and its extension, sheltering the school yard from dusty eastern winds.
The building’s ceiling is made using locally crafted earthenware pots sawn in half, against which the concrete slab is cast. These circular openings allow natural light to filter down, creating a dynamic pattern on the ground. An overhanging corrugated metal roof sits above this ceiling, protecting it from sun and rain, with polycarbonate sheets positioned above the openings. Stack effect is created as the roof’s hot surface draws cooler air in from the windows and out through the perforations in the ceiling, naturally ventilating the inner space.
This project marked Kéré Architecture’s first use of eucalyptus wood, which has since become a characteristic feature of several later projects. Eucalyptus wood is remarkably resistant and takes on an attractive silvery sheen over time, making it an ideal material to create a transparent outer façade. Eucalyptus trees were widely planted in Burkina Faso to fight deforestation, but are today regarded negatively as they provide little shade and absorb moisture from the soil. An effective way of fighting desertification is to use eucalyptus for construction and replace the cut trees with native species.
